[[quoteright:348:[[VideoGame/KiniroNoCorda http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/6a10090b-009f-41b4-aef8-f7d5593f1b68_8232.jpg]]]][[caption-width-right:348:You can see the sparks flying.]][[FireForgedFriends Battle isn't the only way]] [[DefeatMeansFriendship to make friends]]. Sometimes, you don't need an instrument of destruction to get someone on your side -- you just need an instrument.

DuetBonding happens any time a pair of people become a little closer because they play music together. This can lead to a new LoveInterest, or just help them get to know each other a bit better. The piano is the most often used instrument, probably because the pair needs to sit close together to play.

A sub-trope of LetsDuet. See also DanceOfRomance, LoveAtFirstNote. May introduce a LoveTheme.----!!Examples:

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[[folder:Advertising]]* A dating website's UK ad campaign features some [[TastesLikeDiabetes rather cloying]] examples of this crossed with MeetCute.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]* Pictured above, Kahoko Hino and Len Tsukimori from ''VideoGame/KiniroNoCorda'', playing their first duet together (yes, there is ''more'' after that).* In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'' Quatre and Trowa play a duet shortly after meeting, which cements the friendship they'll have for the rest of the series (and drives the shippers nuts).** The music of the duet is titled on the soundtrack as 'Sparkling Harmony,' under the subtitle 'Affection.' It's not hard to read between the lines.* ''NodameCantabile'' is essentially ''all about this''.* At least two instances in ''Anime/OjamajoDoremi'' -- Doremi has one with Hazuki (Doremi on piano and Hazuki on violin) and another with her little sister Pop (both playing piano).* Hibiki and Kanade play piano together to improve their teamwork early in ''SuitePrettyCure''.* In ''LightNovel/MariaSamaGaMiteru'', one of the ways in which Sachiko tries to convince Yumi to become her soeur is by playing a piano piece with her, which bears all the hallmarks of a [[LesYay romantic courtship]].* ''Manga/ShigatsuWaKimiNoUso'' features this with pianist Kousei Arima and violinist Kaori Miyazono. [[spoiler: As revealed in the finale, she even switched from violin to piano so that they could play together like this.]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]* Used for a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming in the short MLP:FiM story, [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/124263/1/songs-uncle-sings/sineva Songs Uncle Sings]] as a moment of bonding between the uncle and his nephew.* Used to get Faustus and Mephistophiles [[SlashFic a little closer]] in the ''Theater/DoctorFaustus'' fic [[http://archiveofourown.org/works/1127785 Consort Lessons]]. (This draws from the 2011 Globe staging, where Arthur Darvill's Mephistophiles occasionally [[TheCastShowOff brings out a lute]] to distract Faustus and where the two share a dueling-lutes jam session during the curtain call. [[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]* In ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'', after Victor offends the eponymous bride, they make up by playing a piano duet together.* A very memorable scene from ''Anime/WhisperOfTheHeart'' featuring a boy, a girl and Country Roads.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]* The piano scene in ''Film/{{Big}}''.* In ''Film/GetOverIt'', the main character and his new love interest play piano together to show that they are getting closer. However, he can only play twinkle-twinkle little star, and she's an expert-- she improvises while he struggles along.* Subverted in ''{{Deliverance}}''-- after the famous "Dueling Banjos" scene, Drew goes to shake the boy's hand; he is snubbed.* Nearly literal version in ''WalkHard'' - the double-entendre duet of "Let's Duet."* In ''Film/TheHoliday'' Iris and Miles bond over composing "Arthur's theme" on a piano together.* ''Once'' practically revolves around the romantic bond formed through playing music together.* In ''ElectricDreams'', Madeline is rehearsing her cello when the InstantAIJustAddWater in the next room begins duetting with her through the air vent. She thinks it's the human who lives in the apartment, and ''they'' begin a relationship.* The river scene in ''TheDarkCrystal'' where Kira is singing and Jen is playing the flute. Jen also bonds with the podlings by joining in with their jig.* Basically the premise of ''MusicAndLyrics'' (only actually writing the song, not just performing it together.)* Although they were already friends, the end of the Apartheid-based film ''{{Serafina}}'' has the title character and her male friend perform a duet they had been planning for the entire movie for a school concert. The problem is, by this point, their school has been burned down by the white police, so they're performing for an invisible audience in the rubble.* Troy and Gabriella of ''HighSchoolMusical'' become acquainted by singing karaoke in front of a crowd of people. Later, they bond some more when they practice to become the leads in the school play.* In ''{{Duets}}'', Liv finally bonds with her up until then {{jerkass}} estranged father when he calls her up on stage during a karaoke competition so that they can sing a duet of her deceased mother's favorite song: ''Cruisin''' by Smokie Robinson. The odd couple of the drugged-up ex-salesman Todd and the recently released ex-convict Reggie's friendship begins to blossom when they share a duet of ''Try a Little Tenderness''.* ''AFairlyOddMovieGrowUpTimmyTurner'' (the LiveActionAdaptation of ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'') has "Looking Like Magic", a song sung by Timmy and Tootie's actors, accompany the characters' FallingInLoveMontage.* In ''Film/AuRevoirLesEnfants'' Jean and Julien bond over playing a piano duet while an air raid alert is going on.* A variant occurs in the animated film ''WesternAnimation/AlphaAndOmega''; wolf couples seem to bond over duet howling/dancing/singing, who knew?[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]* Happens in the first ''Literature/ThursdayNext'' book, ''The Eyre Affair''. The protagonist and another man play a literal piano duet, both playing the same piano at the same time but different parts of the piece. Not a straight-up example, because the two had been lovers in the past, but they weren't together at the time.* Played with in ''Tigana'', by Guy Gavriel Kay.* ''Literature/AubreyMaturin'' has the title characters do this quite often. Aubrey plays violin; Maturin plays cello. And, uh, DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything?:-->[H]e was particularly attentive in laying out the sheets, pouring Stephen another glass of wine, and, when they began, in so playing that his violin helped the 'cello, yielding to it in those minute ways perceptive to those who are deep in their music if to few others.[... T]hey carried straight on without a pause, separating, joining, answering one another, with never a hesitation nor a false note until the full satisfaction of the end.* In Victorian era fantasy novel DarknessVisible, [[BlueBlood Lewis]] plays the piano, and [[TallDarkAndHandsome Marsh]] the violin. Both are experts, and the first time Lewis offers to play a duet with Marsh it is a clear sign that their [[FireForgedFriends relationship has changed]]. They go on to play together many times, using the music as a much-needed emotional release when neither of them can express themselves in words.* In Creator/HermannHesse's ''Literature/TheGlassBeadGame'', when the protagonist Josef Knecht is still a young boy, the Music Master himself comes to examine if he's eligible to be educated in the elite schools. He does it by making the young Josef play music together with him. Thereafter they practically make a baroque-style version of what jazz musicians usually call "jam session", using a popular song as the basic theme. After this, the Music Master explicitly tells to Josef that making music together is the easiest way to create a friendship.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]* This was the ''only'' way Ted and Stephanie could communicate for a while in ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', until Ted grew a pair.* In one of the last episodes of ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' Starbuck plays the piano with a pianist she previously disliked and it help her to come to terms with her past.* In ''Series/{{Glee}}'' this is how Jesse seduces Rachel when they first meet. [[spoiler: And then again when Jesse returns to [=McKinley=].]]** ''Series/{{Glee}}'' loves this trope, especially with Rachel. Two other examples include Mercedes and Rachel resolving a feud while singing [[{{Rent}} "Take Me or Leave Me"]], and Blaine solidifying his foray into bisexuality with Rachel with "Don't You Want Me."*** Blaine does it again, this time with Kurt - their rampant flirtation solidifies with "Baby, It's Cold Outside," and "Candles", which takes place right after their RelationshipUpgrade, is an entire song of them staring dopily and dreamily into each others' eyes like they can't believe they've just found each other.*** Blaine even [[LampshadeHanging hangs a lampshade]] on the Candles duet; right before the BigDamnKiss he flat out tells Kurt that the duet would be an excuse to spend more time with him.** Invoked and averted simultaneously. While [[spoiler:temporarily the coach]] Finn orders this for two pairs of members who are at odds with each other. While [[TheIngenue Marley]] does seem to like [[AlphaBitch Kitty]] just a little more after their cover of Holding Out For A Hero its clear at the end that Kitty might be/probably is faking. As for Jake/Ryder, [[AntiHero Jake]] and [[NiceGuy Ryder]] end up in a fight during their rendition of Superman, forcing Finn to deal with it.** Rachel also had a duet with her mother (Music/LadyGaga's song "Poker Face") [[LukeIAmYourFather when she found out]] who she was.** ''Series/{{Community}}'' [[DuelingShows mocks]] Glee's use of the trope - [[ShipTease Troy and Annie]]'s BuffySpeak-laden attempt is [[ShipSinking thwarted]] by [[MoralGuardians Shirley]].** And also subverted when Rachel and Mr. Shuester sing a duet overlaid with each character's internal monologues about each other. Rachel suddenly realizes that Mr. Shuester isn't so bad, [[HotForTeacher and that they have a real connection.]] Mr. Shuester suddenly realizes [[OhCrap that Rachel has had the aforementioned thought process.]]* It happens on ''{{Victorious}}'' a few times, mainly with Tori and Andre.** And once with Jade and Andre. To the point he developed a crush on her.* ''AustinAndAlly'': Austin has to try to [[DefiedTrope defy]] this trope because he mistakes her crush on the [[SatelliteLoveInterest cellphone accessory cart guy]] that he read about in her SecretDiary for himself. So he starts refusing to practice with her in private. Played straight when Austin and Ally perform "Don't Look Down" and "You Can Come To Me"* [[LipstickLesbian Emily]] and [[ArmoredClosetGay Paige]] from ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'' become closer after singing a duet version of Pink's "So What".* Happens on several occasions in ''Franchise/StarTrek'':** In ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', the EMH realizes that he has a crush on Seven of Nine while they are practicing Seven's singing abilities.** In ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', Data bonds with his "mother" (the wife of his creator) via a violin duet. [[spoiler: We get a first hint that she is not what she seems by the fact that not only Data, but she too can play inhumanly precise and fast...]]** In ''Lessons'' Picard bonded with Lt. Nella Daren over a duet where he played his Ressikan flute and she played a small portable piano. One of the duets ends in their first kiss.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]* The Music/{{PDQ Bach}} piece ''Sonata Innamorata'' is all about this. There's a wonderful performance of it [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6YgWcqAm5E here]].* John Mayer and Taylor Swift hooked up after singing a duet together, but it ended badly.* Music/NickCave and Music/PJHarvey recorded their tracks for "Henry Lee" from ''Music/MurderBallads'' separately. Then they shot [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdNCHomHlU the video]] together....* Zach Braff and Donald Faison of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' fame, who are close friends in RealLife, sang a version of [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z741s7SnyDs "Baby It's Cold Outside" together.]] [[/folder]]

[[folder:Theater]]* Theatre/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer has "Raising a Child by Yourself" for Aunt Polly and Judge Thatcher.* In ''Theatre/TheMusicMan'', Harold Hill gets the members of the River City school board to engage in barbershop quartet bonding.* [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] in ''ThePhantomOfTheOpera''.--> '''Phantom''': Sing once again with me our strange duet / My power over you grows stronger yet* Theatre/ShrekTheMusical has Shrek and Fiona bond during "[[CounterpointDuet I Think I Got You Beat]]"[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]* Very common in the ''Zelda'' series. Especially since [[MemeticSexGod Link somehow manages to woo every female protagonist he meets.]]** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' was probably the first one. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiCSPEm3KuE&feature=player_detailpage#t=284s Marin teaches Link the hauntingly beautiful Ballad of the Wind Fish]], later they go off on an adventure together, and you can't help but think about how [[spoiler: Marin is going to cease to exist]] when you play it to [[spoiler: open the Wind Fish's egg.]]** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', [[LoveDodecahedron Saria teaches Link Saria's Song and gives him his first wooden ocarina, Malon teaches him Epona's Song and gives him his horse, and Zelda teaches him the Song of Time and gives him the Ocarina of Time.]] [[spoiler: Also, Shiek, who is actually Zelda in disguise, teaches Link all of the teleporting songs when he's an adult.]] In a slightly less lovey-dovey example, Impa teaches Link Zelda's Lullaby.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]* #2 of ''Website/{{Cracked}}'''s [[http://www.cracked.com/article_20332_5-unrealistic-movie-cliches-that-are-scientifically-accurate.html 5 Unrealistic Movie Cliches That Are Scientifically Accurate]] points out a study finding that people singing together end up synchronizing their brainwaves.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]* Happened in ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'', where a piano duet stops Arthur's grudge against his cousin.* Played straight than inverted with Stewie and Olivia on ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''.* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Jem}}'' episode "The Bands Break Up", Kimber and Stormer from rival groups Jem and the Holograms and The Misfits each have a falling out with their respective bands. They find themselves in a bar and are persuaded to sing a song together called "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iinCliptuFY I'm Okay]]". They find that they make a pretty good duo and decide to continue singing together for a while. StatusQuoIsGod, however, and they both go back to their bands at the end of the episode, but they become friendlier to each other.[[/folder]]----